Last year when the protest against the Citizenship(Amendment) Act had reached its zenith in Assam, the then AASU general secretary, Lurinjyoti Gogoi, in a gathering announced that prevailing situation was conducive for forming a new regional political party that could fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the indigenous people of the state. This year's summer the people of Assam witnessed two new influential political parties, floated separately by some pressure groups namely the All Assam Students' Union(AASU) and the Asom Jatiyatavadi Yuva Chatra Parishad(AJYCP), and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity(KMSS) and its allied non-political organizations.
The AASU and the AJYCP have jointly formed the political party known as the Asom Jatiya Parishad(AJP). The Raijor Dal is the other new political party floated by the KMSS and its allied organizations. However, their well-wishers that include some Assamese intellectuals are apprehensive that no party could unseat the BJP-led front from the power in Assam, if the Opposition parties contest separately in the state assembly elections scheduled to be held in 2021. Many people are seen advising the newly formulated regional parties to make a pre-poll alliance between them. Even some have suggested the leaderships of the AJP and the Raijor Dal to form alliance with the Congress and the AIUDF, led by Badaruddin Ajmal. In the meanwhile, the Congress and the AIUDF did a pact to fight jointly in the upcoming assembly elections. These had jointly contested the recently concluded the Bodoland Territorial Council elections. But the election was seen a blow to the both parties as these won only one seat out of total 40.
Girishankar Goswami, the state chief convenor of Raijor Dal, in an exclusive chat with this writer, categorically stated that they would not form any alliance with the Congress and the AIUDF under any circumstances. But he has hoped that the Raijor Dal is hoping to form an alliance with the AJP before the upcoming assembly polls. “ During the six-year-long Assam Movement, more than eight hundreded protestors lost their lives in the police atrocities. Then, the Congress was in the government. So, how could we form an alliance with such a party?”, Goswami added. He has also termed the BJP and the AIUDF as communal parties. The young political leader has also claimed that they have support of the 90 percent indigenous people of the state and tried to translate their support into votes. “We have a strong support base in both the valleys in the state, i.e. the Brahmaputra and the Barak. We hope to fight in the upcoming elections jointly with the AJP”, the leader further said.
It can be noted that the Asom Gana Parishad(AGP), which ruled the state twice was formed in 1985 after the end of the historic Assam Movement. But it failed to fulfill its promises given to the indigenous populace of the state. In the 2016 Assam assembly elections, the AGP formed alliance with the BJP and won 14 seats out of the total 126. But this time the regional party has been facing the most indigenous people's ire.
Assam has emerged as the state with the lowest life expectancy in India, averaging just 66 years, according to recent data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5). This figure not only falls below the national average of approximately 69 years but also trails behind other Northeastern states, with neighboring Nagaland boasting a life expectancy exceeding 75 years.
Health experts attribute Assam's lagging life expectancy to a combination of factors, including air pollution, poor dietary habits, high blood pressure, smoking, and environmental hazards. Dr. Rahul Mehra, UNESCO Chair Representative for Global Health and Education, emphasized the urgency of integrating health education...
Nazira paid tribute to the late Aboni Borthakur, a distinguished educationist and former Principal of Nazira College, with a memorial meeting held on Sunday. The event, organized at the Nazira M.C. Club, was presided over by Atul Gogoi, a former Principal of another college.
The gathering saw the presence of several notable figures, including retired professor Dr. Provat Borah, renowned writer Juri Borah Borgohain, Nazira MLA Debabrata Saikia, and CPI leader Kanak Gogoi, among others. The speakers reflected on Borthakur’s contributions to education and society, celebrating his legacy as a thinker and academician.
A highlight of the meeting was the unveiling of a memorial book that...
The demolition of Mahafezkhana, Assam’s oldest surviving concrete structure and a vital piece of Northeast India’s architectural heritage, has triggered widespread outrage. Built between 1855 and 1865, the 160-year-old building—once a custodian of crucial land records during British colonial rule—was razed by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) as part of a park extension and Brahmaputra riverfront beautification project, according to reports published on Sunday.
Senior journalist Mrinal Talukdar expressed his dismay on X, describing the demolition as “not just demolition—this is desecration.” In a series of posts, including one at 2:30 AM IST on March 30 (Post ID:...
The Dhansiri River, a vital tributary of the Brahmaputra, is facing severe pollution due to industrial discharge from the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), as reported by Janani Live, a local news portal from Golaghat. The contamination has raised alarms among environmentalists and local communities dependent on the river for irrigation and drinking water.
Growing Pollution Crisis:According to Janani Live, untreated effluents from the refinery have been flowing into the Dhansiri, increasing chemical toxicity and degrading water quality. The river, which originates in Nagaland and flows through Golaghat and Dimapur, is already burdened by urban sewage, agricultural runoff, and sand...
Congress MP and Lok Sabha Deputy Opposition Leader Gaurav Gogoi has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding an investigation into alleged financial irregularities worth approximately ₹70 crore at the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank. According to Gogoi, the scandal involves an outsider businessman, Rajesh Bajaj, who is accused of misappropriating around ₹20 crore, along with an additional ₹50 crore irregularities under the guise of a tender for a data storage system. Gogoi has urged the Prime Minister to order an independent probe into the matter.
In a post on his official X handle, Gogoi stated, “I have written a letter to Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji regarding the...
Assam Minister Ranjit Das has sparked outrage after allegedly using a caste-based slur during an election campaign, prompting protests and a police complaint.
The controversy erupted while Das, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, was campaigning for a ruling coalition candidate in the 30-Bamunigaon constituency of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council on March 18. During a public speech, he referenced India’s four main social groups—"the poor, women, farmers, and youth"—but also used a derogatory word for Scheduled Castes in Assam.
The All Assam Scheduled Caste Youth Students’ Union filed a complaint against Das at Dispur Police Station under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes...
A massive protest erupted today in Sonapur, near Guwahati, as thousands of tribal people gathered to oppose the proposed transfer of vast tracts of land to the Indian Air Force. The demonstration, held at the Sonapur Mini Stadium on Friday, March 28, saw local tribal communities voicing their outrage against what they perceive as an encroachment on their ancestral lands, with slogans such as "We will give our blood, not our land" and "Down with Digaru Air Force" resonating through the air.
The unrest stems from the state government's alleged plan to hand over a significant portion of land in Digaru, close to Sonapur, to the Air Force. This move has sparked widespread anger among the...
The Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court of Kamrup Metropolitan District has granted bail to senior journalist Dilowar Hussain Majumdar in his second case. Following interrogation and searches starting on March 27, Majumdar was produced in court on Friday and released on a bond of 20,000 rupees. The decision came after his advocate, Angshuman Bora, presented arguments in his favor.
Police conducted searches at Majumdar’s residence and business establishments, seizing two dumpers during the operation. In a related case involving the managing director of Apex Bank, the police advocate requested the addition of extra charges, but the court rejected the plea. Due to a delay in submitting...
The Press Club of India (PCI) on Friday sharply criticized Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for attempting to define who qualifies as a “legitimate” journalist, following the re-arrest of senior digital media journalist Dilawar Hussain Mozumder by Assam Police on March 27 evening. Mozumder, assistant general secretary of the Guwahati Press Club (GPC), was detained hours after his bail release in a case involving alleged theft of bank documents while covering a protest tied to a recruitment scam. The PCI demanded Mozumder’s immediate release, accusing the state of undermining press freedom.
The PCI’s statement highlighted Sarma’s remarks as a distraction from the core issue—...
The Shillong Press Club (SPC) has strongly condemned the arrest of senior Assam journalist Dilawar Hussain Mazumdar, issuing a statement denouncing the action. Mazumdar, the chief reporter of Crosscurrent Digital Media, was first arrested on the night of March 25. Although he was granted bail on March 26, he was rearrested on March 27 based on a complaint filed by the managing director of the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank.
SPC President D L Syiemlieh stated that the rearrest of Mazumdar shortly after being granted bail is deeply concerning and represents a shocking misuse of legal processes. He emphasized that this action constitutes a direct assault on the freedom of the press and...
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